Shilpa Agrawal (’15)

New York, NY
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Major
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

This summer I worked at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy with the Chief Technology Officer Todd Park's team. I worked primarily on Open Data, an initiative introduced by President Obama. The initiative is aimed at making government more transparent and spurring technological innovation by opening up government agencies' datasets and making them machine readable. I also worked on various STEM education initiatives which are aimed at increasing STEM opportunities for k-12 students across the country. In my role I interfaced with agencies to work with them on improving their datasets, I organized "Champions of Change" events that the White House hosted to recognize people who are doing amazing work in Open Data and STEM, worked on policy proposals, and much more.

Through this internship I found a perfect way to combine my interests in technology and education, and I learned a great deal about the way various parts of government interact and what role the White House plays in the greater government landscape. The summer helped grow my passion for education reform and understanding how technology plays an important role in sustainable development and I am grateful for the opportunity to work with OSTP. And aside from the incredible internship experience and seminars we got to attend through the DC program each week, one of my favorite parts of the summer: long runs through DC's beautiful monuments! They are especially amazing when they are lit up at night.